Episode Guide

Age Of Stealth

Over the trenches of World War I, the "eye in the sky" had been indispensable. Since that time, developers have worked endlessly to make planes harder to spot and shoot down. Speed worked at first, then the ability to fly high, but each advance was eventually met by a counter-advance that all but neutralized it. Until, that is, the birth of the computer. With the computer age came avionics - systems to control planes that humans could never fly. These systems, combined with new materials, designs and paints, as well as the unwavering commitment and singular vision of men like Skunk Works' Ben Rich, gave rise to the most recent revolution in military aviation - stealth planes that are all but invisible to enemy eyes. Like the jet engine before it, stealth technology has transformed warfare, and together with ever-advanced precision ordnance and purely autonomous planes, has positioned the world's most advanced air forces for a future where in-cockpit pilots may no longer be necessary.